March 1, 2024

Matthew 23:37-39 (HCSB)
Jesus’ Lamentation over Jerusalem
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem! She who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, yet you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One’!

Neil Andrews
 In this passage, Jesus expresses a profound lament over Jerusalem concluding with a poignant phrase “…and you were not willing.” These words reveal the tender yearning of Christ for a relationship with His people, a desire for them to find refuge and solace in His embrace, but they are met with human resistance. Reflect on your own life. How often have you felt the nudging of God’s love, urging you to draw near, yet you’ve hesitated or turned away? In those moments, recognize the invitation extended by Christ - to find sanctuary in His grace, mercy and unconditional love. Some of the most hopeful words conclude this passage, “For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” In your day, consider God’s yearning voice echoing through time. Surrender hesitations and allow yourself to be drawn into His loving embrace. Acknowledge and seek the strength to yield, anticipating the fulfillment of His promise, where in surrender, true blessedness is found.